BMW CAFE RACER e CUSTOM BIKES

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amandio
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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 05 jun 2015 13:59

Uma cafe racer é uma moto mais leve e com mais força em detrimento do conforto.
É uma moto optimizada para rápidas e curtas viagens que recorda as motos de corrida dos anos 60 onde as motos tinham guiador mais baixo, tanque, assento e carenagens mais alongadas para que o "piloto" pudesse reduzir o atrito e resistência ao ar a maiores velocidades.

O termo cafe racer vem do Reino Unido, no início dos anos 60, onde a malta entusiástica de motos conhecidos pelos Rocker ou "Ton-Up Boys" fazia corridas e passeios curtos entre cafés.
Mais tarde, em 1973, Peter Egan escreveu de forma depreciativa na revista Popular Mechanics como "motorcyclist who played at being an Isle of Man road racer".

Em meados dos anos 70 marcas como a Benelli, BMW, Bultaco e Derbi produziam de fábrica motos para estes entusiastas, derivadas das motos standard. Daqui podemos destacar a BMW R90S.

A cultura cafe racer nunca esmoreceu completamente mas arrefeceu muito durante os anos 80 e 90.
Durante este tempo mantiveram-se no mercado alguns modelos retro style que nunca tiveram grande expressão nas vendas globais.

Em 1995 apareceu a Triumph, uma companhia completamente revitalizada, com a Thunderbird 900. O retro style tornou-se novamente apetecível e a Triumph ganhou a aposta no revivalismo.

Mas o grande impulso para a revitalização da café racer foi em 2000 com a apresentação da Ducati Sport Classic.
Esta mota mantinha todos os traços base das originais cafe racers mas com potencia e estilo actualizados.

De repente e por toda a parte começam a surgir pequenos entusiastas que revitalizam um estilo para o estado que conhecemos hoje.

Actualmente o mercado é competitivo e a diversidade de estilos, propostas formais, marcas envolvidas é enorme.

No caso da BMW temos vários exemplos, alguns aqui já mostrados, mas em termos oficiais da marca também há envolvimento em criar uma moto actualizada, dentro dos standards actuais.
Directamente da BMW Motorrad temos a RnineT, a Concept 90, Concept Roadster, só para nomear algumas.
E também com patrocínio oficial como a "nineT competition" onde 4 nineT foram estilizadas por 4 estudios japoneses (que darei espaço aqui também :D )
Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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JoseMorgado
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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por JoseMorgado » 05 jun 2015 14:10

Obrigado Amândio.

Sempre a aprender!!
José Morgado
Sócio 237

R65 78
R100R 92
R1100RS 94
R1200RT 07
R90S 74
R80 G/S 83
R1250 RT 2022

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amandio
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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 09 jun 2015 17:00

BMW K 1600 GTL PROJECT

Keiji Kawakita (Hot Dock Custom Cycles) and Kenji Nagai (Ken’s Factory)


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At the Osaka Motorcycle Show, BMW Japan has just thrown the wraps off two extreme customs based on the K1600 GTL. That’s the range-topping luxury tourer, a road-going spaceship powered by a 1649cc inline six—and probably packed with more electronics than any other motorcycle on the market today.

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Just two builders were chosen for these transformations, and both are legends in the Japanese custom world: Keiji Kawakita of Hot Dock Custom Cycles, and Kenji Nagai of Ken’s Factory.

The results are very different to the four machines we revealed a few months ago for the R nineT Project. They’re not ‘new wave’ or café-style customs: this is free-form building from two of the most radical and skilled craftsmen in the East.

Let’s take a closer look.

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HOT DOCK ‘JUGGERNAUT’ The K1600 GTL is an imposing machine in its own right. Weighing 767 lbs (348 kg) fully fueled and almost 2.5 meters long, it’s a bike for experienced riders.

Kawakita-san has amped up the visual bulk, with completely new aluminum bodywork from nose to tail. Powertrain mods are restricted to a new airbox and custom-fabricated muffler: the engine already provides a wall of torque, and enough power to propel the K1600 to 200kph.

The exoskeleton effect gives a militaristic, almost steampunk vibe—helped by aluminum pipes following the contours of the new body panels and matt grey paint.

The engine cases have been refinished with an aging effect, which is carried through to the switchgear mounted onto custom bars.

Brass gauges on either side of the tank carry the name Herschel—a nod to the German-born astronomer who discovered Uranus in 1781 and joined the court of King George III.

We imagine it’s the kind of machine that would star in the upcoming movie Mad Max: Fury Road.

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KEN’S FACTORY SPECIAL Kenji Nagai has opted for drastic surgery on his K1600 GTL, creating a low-slung dragbike stripped to the essentials.

The entire rear end of the frame is gone, and the front has been stretched and raked. There’s a custom-made billet girder fork up front, plus a one-off 23-inch aluminum alloy wheel hooked up to a custom 11.5-inch rotor.

Out back is a solid disc 20-inch wheel, suspended with a stretched swingarm and spectacularly illuminated by a LED brake light. It’s shod with 220-section Avon Cobra rubber.

The bodywork is the bare minimum: raw, curvaceous aluminum forms that throw the emphasis onto the massive frame spars and the equally hefty engine. Even the seat is aluminum—but this is not a bike for long distance touring.

It’s one of the most inspired styling exercises we’ve seen for years.

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Fonte: Bike EXIF


ENTREVISTA AOS CONSTRUTORES:

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Harley-Davidson dominates the heavyweight custom scene in Japan: many of the top builders work on no other marque. But BMW has just disrupted that paradigm with its ‘Ignite Straight 6’ project: it’s given its luxury K 1600 GTL tourer to two of Japan’s most esteemed motorcycle craftsmen.

Keiji Kawakita (Hot Dock Custom Cycles) and Kenji Nagai (Ken’s Factory) were previously Harley men to the core. So how did they handle the difficult job of customizing a machine famous for its high technology?

With the help of Japanese journalist Tadashi Kono, we decided to find out.

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Keiji Kawakita opened Hot Dock Custom Cycles in 1984. He also races bikes—on the drag strip and in road races for singles and twins. He uses the experience to develop high performance parts that can also be used at the circuit, and designed the original V-twin 4-valve engine.

Did you find it hard to customize the bike?
Yes, it far exceeded my expectations. The K 1600 GTL comes with an array of electronics—as well as the fuel injection and ABS, there is electronic suspension, ‘Adaptive Headlight,’ and grip and seat heaters. When I was told these parts were all interlinked, and so the engine would not turn on if any one of the parts were removed, I wondered, “what do I do?” My freedom to customize was restricted.

What is your usual technique?
My goal when customizing is to arrange the mounted parts and the silhouette of the machine to give the bike a clean look. I seek beauty and the joy of riding—by making maximum use of minimum equipment. My opinion was that the K 1600 GTL was the opposite of this!

Where did the breakthrough come from?
When I actually rode the K 1600 GTL, it was astonishingly silky. I opened the cylinder head cover with curiosity to get a look at the camshaft. Then it made sense. I could tell that the design of the engine was carefully calculated, with a focus on comfort.

So I began by tentatively removing the parts until just the engine, frame, and front fork were left. That’s when I started to struggle. I couldn’t really afford to stand around doing nothing, so I kept going. It was when the front started to take shape that the image suddenly popped into my head.

When planning a customization, do you normally design by sketching?
Yes, but not this time. In a sense, bit-by-bit I cut and pasted parts to the K 1600 GTL, which had been left with only the frame, engine, and the suspension system. This was the first time I had taken such an approach.

Where did you find inspiration for the styling?
About a year ago, I found a photo of a convertible car interior that was old but neo-futuristic. It inspired me to create a bike with the same sense of openness. I also had in mind a ‘future vehicle’ that might have been conceived in the early 19th century. A vehicle you might see in the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

I was thrilled to discover that a part similar to the oleo strut used on aircraft landing gears had been utilized in the Duolever area of the K 1600 GTL. Just what you would expect from a BMW. But with the standard K 1600 GTL, its large front cowl blocks the part from sight. As an aircraft fan, I was determined to make it visible.

It sounds like it was a struggle.
Every day I agonized over something or the other. I would work, and then feel lost. And then get back to work. During this process I could not picture the completed bike. Even when it was done, who is to say it was really complete? But I guess that’s the nature of customization. There is no real end to it.

I had also never customized a BMW before. I was literally starting from zero. Therefore I had to rely on my past experience and my own ideas and techniques. I had to rely on myself. It’s no wonder it was so hard!

I kept the standard suspension system and frame, but all the exterior parts are handmade. I used aluminum pipes to create a mold of the exterior. Then I attached aluminum panels from the front and rear, and finished the surface.

Although the meters fitted on the exterior were dummies, I changed the design of the panels and the point of the needles to synchronize them with the surrounding parts. All non-exterior parts were coated with aging paint.

Do you have a design philosophy?
I often refer to the Japanese proverb, hyotan kara koma, meaning ‘unexpected things happen.’ Even if you draw a detailed design or drawing, when you actually make something, the design could still turn out to be a failure.

After winning the top prize at the S&S Cycles “World’s Biggest Build-Off” in 2008, I lost my drive. For a while, no ideas for customization came to me. I felt like I had used up all of my ideas, and I was ready to hand the torch over to others from the younger generation.

Then the R nineT Custom Project was started. I was inspired by my juniors who were working away so hard. It looked fun, and I started to wonder what I would do if I were in their shoes. I was also shocked when I saw Lotus’s concept bike, as well as the K 1600 made by Fred Krugger. This made me acutely aware of the openness of the world of customization and the fact that the bike scene was evolving.

This was exactly when I was consulted about this project, and I accepted the offer on the spot. I wanted to make a bike that would impress the four builders who created the R nineT customs. It was a little after that I realized customizing a K 1600 base was so challenging!

But when all is said and done, I had a lot of fun. I would wake up a little earlier than usual and think, “Maybe I’ll try this today.” Every morning, these thoughts naturally ran through my head. With so many constraints, came many hardships.

But my joy outweighed the pain. I hadn’t felt like this in a long time.

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Site: Hot Dock Custom Cycles


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Kenji Nagai opened Ken’s Factory in 1990, and has won many awards at custom shows in Japan, Europe and the USA. He now has a shop in Long Beach, California, and sells aluminum-machined parts renowned for their quality and design.

You’re essentially a Harley builder, aren’t you?
Although I’m completely devoted to customizing Harleys, I still have an interest in other bikes and their mechanisms. So I could not resist customizing BMW’s latest model.

The experience made me realize that the theories I’ve developed over the years about creating custom bikes were not true at all. This time, I spent more time thinking than I did working.

What was your first impression of the K 1600 GTL?
I rode the bike about 300 kilometers from Tokyo to my shop in Nagoya. The ride was more comfortable than I thought it would be.

The stability and comfort of the bike in high-speed areas were superior to other touring models, and the inline six-cylinder engine is truly fascinating. As someone who loves powerful engines, I began to really want a K 1600 GTL.

How did you start work?
I disassembled the exterior parts to understand the wiring and the intricate electronic control parts. I first dreamed of customizing the bike in a bagger style, to build on the bike’s tourer image. But transforming a tourer into a bagger is too mundane.

That is why I searched for a different approach. What I came up with was the ‘digger’ style: a thin, long silhouette created by laying the steering neck to its side, and extending the front fork. This gives the inline 6 cylinder engine maximum presence.

So I cut the front side of the frame and made a new one. I then fitted a Ken’s Factory brand aluminum girder fork. I measured the dimensions in standard state, and decided on the dimensions of the new neck area using the cut steering head area.

I changed the front and rear 17-inch wheels to a 23-inch front wheel and 20-inch rear wheel. I kept the exterior accessories as simple as possible.

It sounds easier said than done.
Yes, it involved a series of trials and errors. I experienced more setbacks than ever before. I guess it was inevitable, since I was working with the bike for the first time—but it was truly difficult.

I could not really enjoy the production process. But when I saw the completed vehicle in front of me, I was filled with relief and realized what an interesting project it had been. I made many new discoveries that I will be able to use in my future work.

Customizing is an important part of my life. Ideas are always on my mind, whether I am soaking in the bath, having a good time, or drinking alcohol. Sometimes I take notes on my mobile phone so I won’t forget my ideas. Sometimes I forget I even took notes in the first place—that was the case this time. But the effort paid off.

We were expected to turn the K 1600 GTL into a bike that is fun, and generates a different type of excitement to the standard one. I think I was able to meet that expectation.

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Site:Ken’s Factory


Fonte: Bike EXIF
Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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amandio
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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 10 jun 2015 12:02

BMW R NINE T CUSTOM PROJECT

CHERRY’S COMPANY HIGHWAY FIGHTER of Kaichiro Kurosu
BRAT STYLE CYCLONE of Go Takamine
HIDE MOTORCYCLE BOXER of Hideya Togashi
46WORKS CLUBMAN RACER of Shiro Nakajima


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For six months, four of Japan’s top custom workshops have been tearing down and rebuilding BMW’s R nineT roadster.

The names will be familiar to most readers—Shiro Nakajima, Brat Style, Hidemo and Cherry’s Company—but until now, the R nineT Custom Project bikes have been hidden behind closed doors.

The results are being revealed this very minute by BMW design chief Ola Stenegärd at the BMW Motorrad Days in Nagano, and we’ve got exclusive images of the builds right here.

It’s a masterclass in the art of customizing bikes, and proof that the Japanese builders are in a league of their own. The craftsmanship, styling and sheer creativity on show is remarkable.



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CHERRY’S COMPANY HIGHWAY FIGHTER Kaichiro Kurosu is not so well known in the West, but in the Japanese motorcycle industry he’s a household name. His high impact bikes have won the top trophy two years in a row at the Yokohama custom show, and his R nineT is just as amazing. For inspiration, Kurosu looked to BMW’s long history, and decided to create a machine that feels, in his words, ‘near future.’

The wheels are modified Custom Chrome RevTech Billet items, going up a size to 18” at the front and down a size to 16” at the back. They’re shod with Metzeler ME880 Marathon tires. The forks are standard R nineT—originally specc’d for the S1000RR—but dropped two inches with custom internals and coated black for an extra stealthy look.

The rear frame has been modified, along with the top yokes and steering stem, and there’s an upgraded Brembo master cylinder to boost braking power. The foot controls are custom fabricated and the clip-on bars are from ABM.

The hand-beaten aluminum bodywork is a styling tour de force, and could be straight off the set of a Dark Knight movie. Check out the front of the frame: the skeletal mesh enclosure that blends with the tank and belly pan is a work of art.

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Site: Cherry's Company



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BRAT STYLE CYCLONE Go Takamine is one of the most influential motorcycle builders in the world. His shop, BratStyle, is synonymous with the look of new wave customs, and has spawned a thousand imitators.

There’s always a visual lightness and vintage flavor to BratStyle builds, and those aspects have come to the fore on Takamine’s R nineT. Given the stock bike’s heavyset nature, the feeling of delicacy on this machine is quite remarkable.

Takamine’s goal was to create a bike for short city trips, with a mix of old and new flavors and a dirt track vibe. The front end is all Ceriani, including the forks, the steering stem and damper, and the top yoke.

The wheels have gone up in size, with a 19” at the front and an 18” at the back. (The rims are Akron H-style.) And being a traditionalist at heart, Takamine has not only removed the ABS, but also fitted a twin-leading shoe front drum brake. The tires are Allstate Safety Tread.

The bodywork is all-new and has transformed the appearance of the R nineT. There’s a custom aluminum front engine casting, and the cylinder heads have been plated and polished to match. The icing on the cake is a simple hand-fabricated exhaust system straight out of the 1960s.

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Site: BratStyle



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HIDE MOTORCYCLE BOXER The simple, organic designs of Hideya Togashi have been charming Japanese custom fans since 2003; today he’s one of the leading Harley Sportster builders in the East.

Togashi has taken a minimalist approach, looking for maximum impact from relatively few mods. The hand-beaten, unfinished aluminum bodywork is timeless and flowing, giving the R nineT a super-sleek look with a hint of 1970s GP bikes.

New cylinder head covers have a sandcast-style texture, and the frame has been returned to a lighter, more natural finish. The wheels are actually stock—but again, the black finish has gone, swapped out for a light powdercoat. The rubber is Metzeler’s Racetec Interact.

The exhaust system is easy to miss, but beautifully bent and routed. The headers curve back into the frame and then vent near the under-seat shock. And the custom foot controls echo the new frame finish just perfectly.

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Site: Hide Motorcycle



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46WORKS CLUBMAN RACER Shiro Nakajima is no stranger to these pages. Under the Ritmo Sereno moniker, he’s built some of the most intoxicating custom BMWs and Moto Guzzis we’ve ever seen. Nakajima has just gone back to basics with a new shop, 46Works, and builds race-flavored customs that work on the track as well as on the road.

His R nineT is bristling with lightweight parts that reduce the weight by around 30 kg. The stock Sachs forks are gone, replaced by Ohlins items matched to a modified steering stem and top yoke. The wheels are MotoGP-style Bito R&D Magtans running Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa rubber.

The exhaust system is hand-built titanium, and Nakajima has crafted a titanium ram-air intake too. Interestingly, he’s also removed the ABS system—presumably to suit his riding style on the track. Ancillary components are from the very best Japanese brands, including Earl’s (oil cooler), Posh and Daytona (lighting) and Battle Factory (clip-ons).

The biggest challenge for Nakajima was hand-beating the new aluminum bodywork: as a man who usually focuses on mechanical upgrades to his bikes, this was a new experience for him. The result is immaculate though, and topped off with subtle paint and a traditional pinstripe.

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Site:46Works


Fonte: Bike EXIF

Video sobre o Projecto nineT



R NINE T CUSTOM PROJECT: THE BUILDERS

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It’s not often that we get an insight into the minds and work processes of Japan’s custom motorcycle builders. The language barrier is simply too much. So we’re wrapping up our coverage of BMW’s R nineT Custom Project by interviewing the four builders involved.

Although they’re at the top of their game—and undoubtedly some of the most proficient builders in the world—customizing the R nineT presented unusual challenges. After all, there’s a big difference between a modern motorcycle packed with electronics and a vintage Harley or Yamaha SR.

Thanks to motorcycle journalist Tadashi Kono, we take a look at the obstacles faced by the builders, and how they overcame them.


Shiro Nakajima, 46Works

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What aspect of the custom build did you focus on?
I paid particular attention to the ‘drive’ it produces. So you could say I focused on aspects such as lightness, speed, and ease of operation. I think I have created a bike that would be enjoyable to ride on winding mountain roads.

What was the most difficult aspect of the design and creation?
The external design. Until this bike, I had only made one tank from aluminum plating and only one seat too—so I had little experience. And having to make everything by hand from scratch was the hardest part. After that, I made other components like the muffler and the rearsets: these are things I have previous experience with, and weren’t as difficult to work out. It was the external design and look of the bike that was difficult.

In what areas do you think that you have been able to stamp your own individuality on the bike, in comparison to the standard R nineT?
The standard R nineT is a great bike, enjoyable and well made. So my aim was to create a bike that would retain the great ride while adding more enjoyment and a good feel.

The first thing I concentrated on was lightness—I haven’t added anything that would make the bike heavier. It is composed of materials aimed at making it lighter, without compromising performance. Although I haven’t weighed my bike, I would guess that it is approximately 30kg lighter than the standard R nineT. The rider can actually feel that the bike is lighter, simply by pushing it. I believe that lightness equals speed and a good ride, so that is the aspect that I gave most attention to.

What was the R nineT like as the base for your custom bike?
When I first saw the bike I thought that it would be difficult to create a custom build. There are many electronic parts, including computers and ABS units; I thought that it would be a difficult task to move and relocate these components. But I found that these parts could be removed and relocated, which made the work easier. There were no aspects of the design that I compromised just because the R nineT is a brand new bike.

Are there new bikes like this one that are difficult to work on because they are the latest models?
Most other BMW models employ the Telelever, which is different to a standard front fork and makes it difficult to decide on a style for a custom built bike. As the R nineT is a relatively orthodox bike, I think it is easier to customize in various styles. As a base bike it is fun to work with and gives you the freedom to achieve various designs.

The most intensive work on the bike was in the later stages, but did you have an idea or vision for the kind of bike you wanted to create right from the beginning?
Right from the start I had decided on a direction for the kind of style I was aiming for. However, our workshop moved to a new location, and it took time for the environment to be prepared to start the custom build. Right at the end I was rushing to complete the finalized bike. Even with only one day to go before the deadline, there is always something that you want to try one more time—or something that you want to tinker with.

Have other bikes you have worked on been in a similar style?
It is very unusual to be left to custom-build a bike exactly how you want to do it, without input from other people. It was also a unique situation with four people being asked to create their customized version of the same bike. I didn’t want to let myself down, and this gave me the motivation to do everything I could, and work on the bike right up to the deadline.

What was the part of the process that caused you the greatest headache?
I redid the tank in different ways, and asked for advice from people who are more expert in panel beating than me. In the end it was possible to create the tank and other components through a process of trial and error.

How satisfying has this custom project been for you?
If I had more time, there are still things that I would have like to have done. But this was work and not a hobby: I had to work to a deadline, and from that perspective I can say that this project has been really satisfying.

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Kaichiro Kurosu, Cherry’s Company

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What aspects of the custom project did you focus on?
The line of the bike is the thing I particularly concentrated on. So that all the parts would come together as a unified whole, I worked to create a single body, bringing the tank, fenders, and fairing together. I designed the bike so that it would be in beautiful alignment when looking from front to rear, and focused particularly on the shape. I am satisfied that I accomplished what I set out to do.

Was there anything that you found particularly difficult?
I used a long piece of wire to devise the lines for the bike, placing the wire along the body to see how it would look. This process took a long time until I decided on the kind of line I would create.

Was there a bit of guesswork involved in the process?
The actual three-dimensional shape of the bike developed and evolved in my mind. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if I didn’t have an idea in mind in the first place. For me, I usually imagine the finished product in my head before engaging in the actual work process.

In an interview during the creation process you said that you were worried about certain aspects, and had lost sight of what you were aiming for. In the end, did you find that you were able to create the kind of bike you initially visualized?
Yes, I was able to express the image I had in mind. Once the paint was applied I knew that I wasn’t wrong. I was very relieved. It’s a little bit strange, but there are always aspects of a project that you don’t know where to start.

In the ‘production process’ interview you mentioned a theme that you had in mind.
BMW Motorrad is approaching its 100th anniversary, so I was thinking about the bikes that BMW has created over the years. I then came up with a theme of the “near future.” After all, ten years from now would be the “near future” wouldn’t it? That was the starting point for the “future” theme.

So what specific parts of your bike express a “future” theme?
That’s a difficult question, hard to explain in words. For example, if the engine in the bike were to be replaced with an electric motor, it wouldn’t have a bad impact on the style of the bike. That is what I had in mind when I was designing it. I believe that electric motorbikes will become a reality in the future and I wanted to create a bike that would suit even an electric-powered machine. That was part of the theme I had in mind.

How is your bike different to the standard R nineT?
The standard R nineT is a really enjoyable bike to ride, but I wanted to see if I could improve the position and also the appearance. I think that by changing the positioning, the ways that the bike can be used and also the ways to enjoy it have also changed a little.

In changing the position, my idea was to make the bike into something sportier and more aggressive. The standard R nineT is a bike that makes you want to set out on a long road trip, but I think my bike is more for other times when you just want to “get up and go!” Neither of these images is better than the other, but I think that it is this image of wanting to set off and go that is different about my bike.

What was your impression of the R nineT as a base for customization?
This was the first BMW I had ever customized, and although I didn’t think it would be easy, I didn’t know that it would be easier than other BMW models, because this was my first time to work with a BMW.

Now that the project is over and I look back, I can see that there were parts that were easy to do. Although it’s difficult for me to speak about this as I don’t have experience with other BMWs to compare it with, the BMW bike was how I thought it would be. It was also perhaps easier to customize and reconfigure than other recent motorbike models. It was probably because the R nineT doesn’t have an electronic-controlled front fork and does not feature too many electronically controlled components, and the fact that the frame is expertly made that it was easy to customize and incorporate parts. I think that among BMW bikes, it was probably an easy one to customize.

What sort of presence do you think that your finished bike has?
I think that in the end I have created something that is still a BMW at heart. This was something that I kept in the forefront of my mind, namely that this was a BMW bike and that I couldn’t eliminate that “BMW feel.” However, if you ask me what it is that gives a bike its “BMW feel,” that is again something that is difficult to explain because it is intangible. That may be my own preconceived idea, though. However, I believe that my bike is one that is ultimately still recognizable as a BMW and I am pleased about that.

Customization work is also for a customer and if the customer requires a touring bike, then you must create a bike according to that request. However, this time I made the bike for myself. I wondered what the bike would feel like to ride and I actually took it out on the road before it was customized, which helped me to identify the things I wanted to do with the bike and probably helped in the process of creating its final form.

What name would you give your bike?
It has a name. I have called it “Highway Fighter.” It gives it the image of burning up the highway and disappearing into the distance.

What have you gained from this custom project?
I have gained a great deal. As I noted in the “production process” interview, I realized from this project that I needed to renew myself and my ideas. And I thought that this project would be the kind of thing that would help me to create something new. After all, this was the first time I produced a custom design for a BMW. In that sense, although I am not boasting, I believe that the project was very important for me in that it has given me new choices for next steps and the directions that I can take from now have increased. I want to continue to work on custom projects as I feel it is something I must carry on doing. That was one of the really big results of this project for me.

Would you like to take on a challenge like this in the future?
Yes, if something came up, I would. If a BMW customer came to me there would be no reason to refuse. I think that before this project, if someone had brought a BMW motorbike to me, I would have refused the job because I had no previous experience. From now on, if someone were to give me the chance to customize a BMW bike, I would be delighted to accept!

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Hideya Togashi, Hide Motorcycle

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What aspect of your bike did you focus most attention on?
The aluminum tank. I wanted to show the aluminum in its natural state, without painting it. I therefore had to beat out the shape—this was the task that was most difficult, and caused me the greatest trouble.

So is the aluminum tank also the key characteristic of your bike?
It was a case of self-gratification really. But in my image of the completed bike, I wanted to show the aluminum. Is it difficult to show the tank in its raw and natural state? If you paint the tank you can cover any slight deformations by creating an undercoat from putty, and then sanding the tank down to make the surface smooth. With a natural aluminum tank this is not possible, so you have to beat out any deformations from the inside to create a smooth surface. That process is really difficult. The tank can become distorted or lose its symmetry, so the work to create the tank is a real headache. It took a month to complete. I had to think carefully while I was creating it.

Would you say that this is the prime characteristic of the bike you have customized?
Yes. Although the overall shape and form of the bike has its own individuality, on any bike it is the tank that your eyes naturally go to first. The fairing also caused me difficulty: to create the base shape you use wire, which you then spray with urethane foam. After that, you sand it down to the shape you require. And if you sand off too much, you can easily go back and do it again, or add a little more volume where required.

Although it takes time, it is a job that anyone can do. In contrast, the aluminum tank requires technical skill. That is the difference, and that is why I selected the tank as the main characteristic of the bike.

What differences have you have been able to express with your custom bike in comparison to the original R nineT?
With a customized bike anything is possible. And as you can see with this project, four very different bikes have been created under the same conditions and in the same time frame. The original bike was easy to reconfigure, but the most significant factor was that we were free to do what we liked with this custom build. In truth I don’t know what the ride of my bike is like, as I haven’t had the chance to ride it that much!

It is largely Harley Davidson bikes that tend to be customized. What was it like to work on the R nineT as the base for a customized bike?
It was a really good experience. Harleys are rather unsophisticated aren’t they? [Laughs] I don’t think I’ll be allowed to use a Harley if I say this, but if you spend between 100 to 300,000 yen on a custom project on a Harley you can improve the areas that the manufacturer left a little rough around the edges—and make the bike better and more stylish.

But the standard R nineT is already extremely well made, and there aren’t many things that have been overlooked or need tweaking. It’s already a very stylish and good-looking bike without being customized. So the challenge is to consider what you can improve, or how you can make it look better with a custom build. That is the concept I was working on for this project, and in that sense I don’t think that it has been a normal custom build project.

How did you find working on this project with its limited time frame?
Have you done everything you could have done? I did everything I could until there was no more to do. The only thing left is to actually take it out on the road, and give some attention to the ride itself. In terms of the custom build I don’t think there is anything left to do.

What sort of presence does your finished bike have?
I was thinking about where we go from here. If it was my own bike, I would take it out to fine-tune the ride and ensure that it was enjoyable. I would be looking to make adjustments—such as the suspension settings—and make sure it is a bike that is in tune with my own body. That is the way to boost the enjoyment of the ride, and increase love for your machine.

Has this project provided you with a good experience for future custom build projects?
I really racked my brains to make this bike. Sometimes, when you open up the drawers of your mind, you find that there is nothing there. This project was one where I had to delve deep into my mind and draw on my experience, and it has given me great motivation for my next custom project, and the kind of bikes I would like to build in the future. In that sense it was a truly great experience.

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Go Takamine, BratStyle

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What aspects of the design did you concentrate most on, and what are you most satisfied with?
I wanted to create a normal bike for riding around the city. So I focused on creating standard parallel lines that would not look unusual if the bike were to be lined up with the SR and SX bikes that we often deal with at BratStyle.

What aspects did you find difficult?
As the frame of the R nineT does not lend itself to the kind of parallel lines I was seeking to create, that was the aspect that I spent the most time thinking about.

Do you create a customized bike based on gut feeling?
Yes, I work from instinct. But there are times when instinct alone does not go as well as you thought.

How is your bike different from the standard R nineT?
At a glance I think that my bike probably looks like an older bike. I have changed the size of the tires, and the external look is entirely different. I think I have achieved an interesting feel that mixes both new and old.

What is the ride like?
The ride has become lighter. I think that the standard model is easiest to ride, but you can have a good time on this customized version too.

What was the R nineT like as a base model for customization?
It wasn’t easy, but it provided a challenge that increased my passion for the project.

What aspects did you intend to show in your bike?
I wanted to create a bike that you would normally ride around the city. Although I have customized many parts, I didn’t want them to be obvious. My aim was to create a normal city bike, not a show car.

What specific things did you find difficult?
When you start taking parts off, you realize that there are quite a few that aren’t particularly stylish or good-looking. I disguised these parts with pipes and adjusted the length or width to find a balance that I liked. I originally had not intended to change the front fork, but in the end I changed it for a standard upright fork.

Through this project you got to customize a bike that you would not normally handle. Has the process changed you in any way?
I have learned a lot and would like to do more of this kind of work on new bikes. It was a really interesting project.

You have said that the ride of the standard R nineT is best, so what is the attraction of a custom build?
I like that I can make a bike that you won’t find anywhere else. I make them so that this unique aura shines through. Although there may be aspects that aren’t as good as the standard model, I think it is good for bikes to have an original feel to them.

What do you think about the bikes created by other builders?
They’re all amazing—the character of each person really comes through.

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Fonte: Bike EXIF

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Building Process Videos:

Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/Jo6k2k5XkMA
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/j0o3czHpF2g
Chapter 3: https://youtu.be/99O37jmSkds
Chapter 4: https://youtu.be/7J_0FHcgXbA
Chapter 5: https://youtu.be/txCQoTEXwR8
Chapter 6: https://youtu.be/d8pY6-DpHWg


Site oficial Project nineT
Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 10 jun 2015 14:16

Bill Costello, New York

1981 BMW R100RT CUSTOM


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Four years ago, Bill Costello became a big name in the classic BMW world. He’d restored a 1958 BMW R50 as a tribute to his father, and before he knew it, the bike was on the cover of three magazines. Bill was even flown to Germany to meet BMW’s top brass.

“Then people started asking me about my next project,” says Bill, faced with Second Album Syndrome. And here it is, revealed for the first time—an absolutely beautiful 1981 R100RT. It also serves as Bill’s daily ride.

“I’m not one of those people who desires a stable full of motorcycles, but there was something else I wanted. When restoring a classic bike, one has to pretty much stick with a factory spec set of options. One does not normally chop up and customize a 1958 BMW. I had a desire to build a custom bike, one that suited my personality.”

The first requirement was more power. “My R50 has only 26 hp, and riding on the highway with a 1958 bike is not something you want to do all the time. So I found a full-faired R100RT donor bike which made a great base for the project; My focus was on building a reliable daily rider, an urban style bike—which is a great excuse to not spend a lot of time cleaning and polishing all the engine parts!”

With 70 hp on tap, the R100RT has all the power Bill needs. But he’s put the bike on a diet, dropping the wet weight from around 525 lbs to 430. Handling is much improved too, thanks to fork internals by Race Tech, including adjustable gold-valve emulators. At the back, suspension duties are now handled by Works Performance shocks.

The custom spoked wheels, with sealed rims and fitted with Avon tubeless tires, were built by Woody’s Wheel Works. There’s a new triple tree from BMW specialist Toaster Tan, hooked up to Tarozzi clip-ons. The rearsets are from Boxer Metal, who helped out with the build.

Under the seat hump is a tiny li-ion battery, matched to an equally compact Acewell gauge up front. Bill also mounts his iPhone 5 to the bars for navigation, and if the worst ever came to the worst, he can call upon the full BMW toolkit hidden under the custom seat.

“The same week the bike was finished, I took it for its maiden voyage—a 1,600-mile round trip ride from New York to North Carolina,” says Bill. “The bike proved itself to me on that ride. It really is a blast on the highway: To test the stability, I took it up to 115 mph, which feels like 200 on a naked bike. The bike is everything I hoped it would be.”

Bill’s not 100% satisfied, though. He plans to lengthen and soften the rear shocks a fraction, and dial-in the adjustable front forks, so they’re a little softer too. Then his BMW will be just perfect.


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Video about the bike: https://youtu.be/ZK5hibp2XBU

Fonte: Bike EXIF
Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 10 jun 2015 14:32

Roland Sands Design, California

BMW Concept Ninety - classic meets class.


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90 years of BMW Motorrad - 40 years of a BMW Motorrad design icon. To mark these anniversaries, the BMW Group will be presenting a very special new machine from 6.30 pm on May 24th: the BMW Concept Ninety, on show at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013. In collaboration with the customer bike company "Roland Sands Design", the BMW Motorrad Design Team has created an exclusive homage to the BMW R 90 S. Roland Sands and his team have given the BMW Concept Ninety an exclusive self-assured appearance with technologically refined, top-quality custom parts, former motorcycle racer.

The original: the BMW R 90 S.

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With a top speed of just under 200 km/h, the BMW R 90 S was one of the fastest serial production motorcycles of its time. It was the first time a designer had created the perfect combination of form and function in a motorcycle development process. The BMW R 90 S was the first motorcycle ever to be fitted with a front trim section as standard, giving it an unmistakable appearance. Aerodynamically optimised front and rear trim elements were soon to be seen on motorcycles by other manufacturers, too. According to Edgar Heinrich, Head of BMW Motorrad Design: "The BMW R 90 S goes back to a time when motorcyclists were regarded as social outlaws. There was something rebellious about them - they were fast, noisy and wild. It was all about pure emotion. And it remains fascinating to this day."

BMW Concept Ninety.
"The aim of the BMW Concept Ninety is to show how reduced and pure an emotional BMW motorcycle can be," explains Ola Stenegard, Head of BMW Motorrad Vehicle Design. Its basic proportions are clearly geared towards the original: the faring, fuel tank and rear section instantly reveal the bike's kinship with the BMW R 90 S. The BMW Concept Ninety also echoes the separation of the motorcycle's proportions which was typical at the time: the trim is visually distinct from the black engine and chassis sections. While halogen reflected the technological state of the art in the original machine, cutting-edge LED lighting elements give the BMW Concept Ninety its face today.

Custom parts made by Roland Sands Design.
Roland Sands Design created the parts especially for the BMW Concept Ninety in collaboration with the BMW Motorrad Design Team: "I wanted to translate the special character of the BMW R 90 S into the modern age by means of unique parts - based on emotional design and state-of-the-art technology. It just all goes together perfectly: BMW technology, BMW history and our customer parts are a great match," says Roland Sands. Unlike other custom bikes, the BMW Concept Ninety is designed to be ridden. The motorcycle itself and all parts are geared towards top-level performance.


Fonte: BMW Motorrad

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Imagens: Roland Sands
Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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Re: BMW CAFE RACER

Mensagem por amandio » 19 jun 2015 08:56

La Corona Motorcycles, Barcelona, Espanha

1981 BMW R100RS


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La Corona Motorcycles is one of the latest shops in Europe to be producing this stripped back street tracker look. Based in Barcelona, this is their fourth build by the four passionate Spanish builders. Each of their builds has used a different donor bike, but they all have the ‘less is more’ La Corona aesthetic to them. This time they decided to use a 1981 BMW R100RS. It’s the second incarnation of this beemer, originally being built red with black detailing. The stock bike had a sizeable complete fairing, which was the first thing to go. Their goal, like most of their builds was to build something simple and “naked” – we think they acheived this with flying colors.

They changed the original handlebars in favour of some dirt track bars – which gave the bike a more comfortable riding position. The clock is made by Acewell Digital and it’s also a little on-board computer for the bike. The stock wheels were replaced with gold mesh style wheels, and covered with a fresh set of Firestone ANS Military tires; 19 x 4.0 front and 18 x 4.5 rear.

The stock BMW R100RS fuel tank was also replaced with a Kawasaki kz750 tank – adding to the classic tracker styling they were looking for. The electrical wiring was also replaced and simplified. The battery is a gel battery with case was relocated under the engine. They also added a scrambler style headlight and rear light.

La Corona removed the stock air filters and case, and a new cover was constructed that flows better with the lines of the bike and it’s engine.

Overall, they have created another beautiful naked tracker that has La Corona written all over it – particularly on the tank. As the boys from Barcelona said “we are very proud of this great bike.” And so they should be.


Fonte:Pipeburn
Site: La Corona

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Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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amandio
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Re: BMW CAFE RACER e CUSTOM BIKES

Mensagem por amandio » 24 jun 2015 14:30

CAFE RACER DREAMS, Madrid

1984 R100 - CRD#58


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Despite the flood of BMW customs hitting the streets, certain workshops can be counted on to consistently produce good examples. Like Café Racer Dreams—who’ve shown their prowess yet again with this elegant Boxer.
CRD #58 is an 84-model BMW R100, and it was built for a regular of the Madrid-based shop who lives in Nice, France. (This is his third CRD bike, with a fourth on order.)

The brief was to produce a Boxer custom that would buck current design trends—in stylish fashion. Luckily CRD’s Pedro García and Efraon Triana are a pretty versatile team, and masters of good aesthetic judgement.
A sketch on a napkin was all it took to get the client excited and the project rolling. But early in the process, ideas started changing.

“The drawing on the napkin was based on the original R100 fuel tank,” says Pedro. “But we wanted to put a smaller tank on”.
The guys had a 1972 Puch Minicross tank lying around the workshop. So they tried it out and showed their client, who immediately fell in love with the shape.

Next on the agenda was the rear end, with CRD ditching the subframe in favour of a solo seat configuration. This pushed the shock mounts significantly forward, so a pair of Hagon XL shocks were fitted to compensate for the gap.
The seat itself is custom-made, and has a LED tail light built into it. The rear fender is a re-purposed R100 front fender, mounted on a hand-made brace.

Up front are the forks, front hub and brake disc from a 1994 BMW F650. The hub’s laced to a 19” rim, matched to an 18″ spoked setup at the rear. Both wheels are shod with Continental TKC80 tires.

Moving to the engine, CRD fitted a pair of K&N filters and ditched the air box. In its place is a custom aluminum battery box—which subtly completes the contour of the engine block. It also houses a Motogadget m-Unit control unit, around which the whole bike’s been rewired.

Other Motogadget components include the speedo, switches and bar-end turn signals. The bars are set of inverted Renthal Ultra Lows, fitted with Biltwell Inc. Kung-Fu grips. They’re held in place by a new set of of handlebar risers, mounted on a custom triple clamp.

CRD finished off the build with a smattering of parts from their own online store—including the headlight, reverse-cone mufflers and Tarozzi rear-sets. The ignition’s been relocated to the side of the bike, just underneath the fuel tank.

The paint job is a nod to BMW’s iconic motorsport liveries: white, with blue and red stripes and traditional roundels. The engine’s been cleaned up, and the rest of the components have been finished in black.
CRD #58 is as classy and tasteful as we’ve come to expect from Pedro and Efraon. And we’re more than a little jealous that we won’t be blasting around Nice on it.


Fonte: Bike EXIF

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Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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Re: BMW CAFE RACER e CUSTOM BIKES

Mensagem por amandio » 24 jun 2015 14:42

Skrunkwerks, Melbourne, Australia

1987 BMW R100


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I like just about every bike featured on Pipeburn. From yard-built bobbers, lean café racers and scramblers of questionable practicality there’s always something of merit in their design and execution that warrants a closer look. But there’s a special place in my heart for performance-based bikes built with a singular purpose in mind. Products of consideration, calculation and engineering, often ridden with stupidity paraded as bravery. So today, here’s a real treat – a gorgeous, beautifully thought-out and immaculately crafted 1987 BMW R100 salt racer designed, built and raced by Adrian from Skrunkwerks in Melbourne, Australia.

You might be surprised to know that alongside bourbon, country music and chronic obesity the United States doesn’t have a monopoly of dry salt lakes. Here in Australia we have our own large white dyno in Lake Gairdner, South Australia. Over seven hours out of Adelaide – a similarly isolated area that is also unable to sustain life – our salt lake has a much less predictable climate, an absolutely abhorrent dirt track entry road and no facilities at all. I’m friends with a few people who have made the pilgrimage over the years but I’ve never made the trip myself – being of the demographic that won’t go anywhere without 4G network coverage or easy access to organic fair trade coffee.

This means that only the most dedicated speed freaks carefully watch the weather reports and pack up the four-wheel-drive to make the pilgrimage to the Australian speed mecca each year, leaving casual observers like myself simply turning and tipping a drink in the direction of their noble pursuit five times a day. And after 18 months of planning and building Skrunkwerks joined a throng of like-minded enthusiasts when they finally wheeled this piece of automotive art onto sandpaper-like surface of Lake Gairdner.

Skrunkwerks had big plans for the bike when it was first started in a workshop alongside Supacustom’s Triumph Bonneville that was also being built to break land speed records. The BMW was to have a very heavily worked engine, with Skrunkwerks aiming for 110 horsepower, but due to some last-minute problems this was put aside and a R100 donk already running in his gorgeous café racer was mounted instead. Adrian aims to have the fresh engine ready for a tilt in 2016, possibly with some kind of forced induction. And I’ve no doubt that it will work beautifully.

Because even the back-up engine is nothing to be sneezed at. Producing around 75 horsepower, it runs 38mm Dellorto carburettors, an oil cooler taken from a Bonneville, dual plugs, porting, a CR increase and a few other tricky bits and pieces to get the bike up to speed. Most notable of these is ‘Ramstein’ – the large ram air intakes you see jutting out either side of the engine. Ram air intake systems are finicky, difficult to jet carburettors to and have slim-to-bugger all gains at any speed other than flat-out. To this end the bike also had a set of huge K&N air filters ready to mount if it ran into any trouble at the lake.

A great deal of effort has gone into suspension design, a crucial focus when riding a bike like this far faster than the original maker of the bike or the maker of the rider ever intended. The R100 runs GSX-R triple trees and USD forks at the front while the custom mounting arrangement of the Hyperpro shock marries it to the R1100RT swing arm, and a R1100S bevel drive – required for its taller gearing.

The swingarm lengthens the stock wheelbase by 100mm, with Bridgestone BT45 tyres mounted to the K100 rims on each end. With the fully worked engine, all these modifications add up to theoretical top speeds of over 150mph, thundering along at a max of 9000RPM, all the while combating rear wheel slip – said to be around 10% while running on the salt.

It’s easy to get bogged down into the numbers while missing the sheer beauty of the bike. The fit and finish is immaculate – with some the most beautiful frame bracing I’ve seen on a motorcycle, much of which is laser cut and hidden under the chopped and shut fuel tank. The colours that have been picked are gorgeous, the welding is immaculate and the attention to detail is second to none (look at those guides for the rear brake line!).

Like much of the engine work, the carbon fibre seat and hugger were completed in-house. And I suppose it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, being designed and built by a man who manufactured his own tube bender and dynamometer in his spare time. And here I sit considering my spare time productive if I manage to get through half a bottle of rum and a season of Louie.

For 2015 the R100 was entered into the MPG1000 class – 1000cc pushrod motorcycles that are unfaired and running on pump gas. Acts of God and other tribulations meant that he was to only have two runs on the salt – but still set a top speed of 128MPH (206 km/h) – only 12.6 miles (20.3 km) short of the current record. And all that from a relatively mildly worked boxer engine, which Adrian thinks still had a few more ponies to be let out with some more tuning. That’s academic though as in 2016 the bike will return to the lake with the dedicated salt racing engine he had originally envisaged. Until then the bike will return to his workshop, looking as gorgeous sitting still as it did as a blurred dart across the Lake Gairdner horizon.


Fonte: Pipeburn

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Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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Re: BMW CAFE RACER e CUSTOM BIKES

Mensagem por amandio » 24 jun 2015 14:57

Renard Speed Shop, Tallin, Estónia

BMW K75


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When you’re rebuilding that barn find, what you are really doing is recycling. Bikes that may have been destined for the scrap heap are given new leases of life by those who can see beyond the rust and years of decay. One of the prime examples is this BMW K75, a rarely modified machine of which this is the first example to grace the pages of Pipeburn. This particular K75 sat for ten years in a barn in Germany – waiting patiently for someone to give it some love. Eventually Andres and the guys from Estonia’s Renard Speed Shop came to the rescue. The builders themself weren’t sure at first if the bike would be “interesting enough to build”, but we’re glad they changed their minds.

Bent slightly in an accident a decade ago, the bike was parked up in a German barn until recently, when it was rescued and brought to the Renard workshop in the north of Estonia. The bike was in a sad state on arrival, nursing bent forks and a dented tank. Once stripped down, an idea of the damage could be gauged, and the direction of the build ascertained. And what a direction it has taken.

With the designer deeming the engine to be adequate for the task, the modifications carried out on the bike have been carried out with aesthetics and handling in mind. The gas axe was taken to the frame, and stance of the bike improved out of sight. The rear suspension now sports an adjustable monoshock setup that lies parallel to the swingarm. “Visually, it’s very attractive and functional at the same time” says Andres. The rolling stock has been upsized, with 17 inch wheels now fitted and wider tires helping with grip. The bent forks had to go, and in their place sit a set of upside down forks, mounted up with radial callipers. The Beemer has ditched it’s factory clutch & brake master cylinder, and is now packing ISR sourced units.

To achieve the sleek lines of the bike, a hefty amount of work and effort has been employed. The rear section has been changed and the rear of the fuel tank lowered to suit. Built from scratch, the Alcantara bound seat assembly features an integrated BMW R1150 tail lamp unit. In an effort to keep the frame clutter free, the electrical harness and componentry is mounted under the seat and the tank. Hugging the modified frame, the 38mm custom exhaust terminates in a Danmotos silencer.

Not a bike to be trailered, just last week the Beemer was out for a 250km run. According to Andres; “I love how it acts, the engine is pretty torquey, centre of gravity is low and the bike is easy to ride”. Looking beyond the initial hesitation as to whether the bike would make a good donor bike, the crew at Renard have produced a curve happy streetfighter. Taking a banged up Beemer this Estonian workshop has done it’s part for the environment by giving this bike a new lease on life. Saving nature, one bike at a time.


Fonte: Pipeburn

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Amândio de Aveiro
(da Madeira, mas em Oslo)
A Zarolha - R1150 GS 2000 [2002-2013]
The Red Devil - K1100RS 1995 [2020-...]

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